BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A Bay Minette Middle School counselor arrested at work Feb. 11 on drug charges had already spent time on paid administrative leave from the school last year, also on drug-related charges.

Burton Cornelius Beck Jr., 35, was charged with second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia last Thursday after officers found marijuana and assorted pills in his office on the BMMS campus.

Officers conducting a routine K-9 training exercise at Bay Minette Middle School Thursday discovered the drugs, police said. A subsequent search of Beck's car revealed more marijuana, they said.

During a district court preliminary hearing Friday, Beck was released on $10,000 bail, but with the understanding he was not to have any contact with minors or the school, according to Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb.

April 29, 2009, Beck was booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Facility on charges of DUI-controlled substance. Terry Wilhite, director of communications for Baldwin County Public Schools, said at that time Beck was put on paid administrative leave and remained on leave until the end of the school year.

Following this latest incident, and the court's ruling, the school system's human resources department is reviewing Beck's case.

"No decision has been made yet to place him on leave. His current case is under review by the  human resources department, and HR will make a recommendation to the superintendent," Wilhite said.

Wilhite said Beck is banned from the school until the "police and court matter are resolved." "We're following the law as it directs.

This is the second drug-related arrest at Bay Minette Middle School this year.

Just two weeks into the academic year, on Aug. 21, 2009, Nicholas Pope, a 25-year-old special education teacher and assistant seventh-grade football coach at the school, was arrested and charged with public intoxication and illegal possession of prescription drugs.

At that time, Pope was reportedly in possession of Suboxone, for which he had a legal prescription. According to police, Suboxone is a drug normally used to treat addiction to opiates.

Pope was put on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the police investigation and review by the Board of Education's human resources division, according to Wilhite, but resigned a few weeks after his arrest.

Federal law does not allow for random drug-testing of school employees except those in "safety sensitive positions," such as those that hold CDL licenses like bus drivers.

"The school board does have a drug-testing policy, but not one regarding other positions such as teachers, custodians and other employees," John Hudson, Baldwin County AEA Uniserv director, said.

The board's general drug and alcohol policy #846 states that "all employees are prohibited from dispensing or in any way transferring possession of alcohol or any illegal drug while on school premises, including school vehicles, or at any school-planned activity."

However, as far as drug-testing, the policy only refers to those subject to the U.S. DOT regulations and the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991.

Hudson said law does allow for drug testing of other employees when there is "reasonable suspicion that an employee is using drugs," but that the Baldwin County Board of Education cannot employ such a practice right now because there is not a policy dealing with it.

Wilhite also said state law mandates boards place employees on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

"Legislators are currently working on an amendment to the state tenure law that would call for unpaid leave for school employees who are arrested and restoration of job and/or salary if the employee is acquitted," he said.

"We expect our campuses to be drug and alcohol free. It is very disconcerting when incidences like this occur," he added.

Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery agreed, and said she places her trust in the law enforcement officials.

"The City of Bay Minette is dedicated to the safety of our children. We are confident of our law enforcement and that all official procedures and protocols are being addressed for a quick, efficient and effective investigation in this case," she said.